22 Responses to Year 11 questions about The English Language GCSE 30th April 2012

– Don’t need to link ideas necessarily, unless they are analysing the same point. No comparison needed, but you can if you want!

– An introduction can count as a paragraph in the writing task, particularly in the short question.

– Retrieval question tests for evidence that you have read the whole text

– Planning in first three questions occurs on the texts themselves.

– Don’t look at sentences of analysis, but ensure that each point is developed – sometimes a phrase counts as extra analysis (the ‘almost pathetic’ idea that a dinosaur… rather than ‘the idea that a dinosaur’ for example.)

– How can we analyse specifically while monitoring time? Check time every 5-10 minutes or so.

– A* isn’t about number of points, but rather the depth of analysis

– OC missed analysing the answers of questions 1 and 2.

– Techniques become more straightforward to spot the more you practice – always imagine what techniques you use when you write.

– Writing style improved by regular practice. Write a diary!

– The furthermore point is not as evaluative as the contrast or consequence points.

– The ‘this suggests/furthermore’ etc. structure is not as important as showing you have read the entire article. See later for more info on this.

– Can we make a simple lists summarising what is needed in the language exam? Yes, you can! Best to be made yourself, though, and I’ll mark.

– Spelling doesn’t count for reading section, and it is best fit for the writing. Dyslexic students regularly achieve the highest grades.

– In terms of taking your time, you can write exploratory/with some mistakes and still get what you need. You are being marked as 15/16 year olds taking an exam!

– In terms of aiming beyond an A*, ensure you have clarity to help the examiner with your style: the time to philosophise beyond the remit of the paper is in your own time!

– How do we analyse our own work? See if you have point and how, and decide how relevant your point is.

– The answers are advanced in terms of what they suggests about the thinking behind them .

– We need to analyse so much because doing so demonstrates your ability to critique and evaluate information that is given to you – not to just accept it.

– Variation officially marked for in the writing section.

– For first question, don’t just list what you learn. Choose the most important points in order and write what they infer (for the purpose and audience.) Imagine you are the writer: why would you have included that point? Listing is on foundation!

– The quotes you choose matter in the sense that you want to show you have read the entire article, and made a judgement about what are the most important/integral points for you in the article: you want to show that you have not simply analysed points in chronological order.